Goals from Sebastian Bassong and Anthony Pilkington gave the Canaries victory despite a stunner from Craig Gardner

Going, going, gone? Martin O'Neill is now under immense pressure after another defeat

Martin O'Neill might prefer to celebrate a year in charge at Sunderland by swerving Twitter.

The Sunderland boss was unhappy last week at suggestions on the social media site that he had thrown in the towel with his players plummeting towards relegation danger.

But this defeat has continued the plunge and means the Black Cats have won just two of their 14 games so far this season - 22 going back to last term.

It also means Sunderland sit just one point above the drop zone.

First half goals from Sebastien Bassong and Anthony Pilkington continued a dream run for Norwich boss Chris Hughton whose side are now on the same points as Liverpool.

But those strikes etched the writing on the wall for O’Neill as, before yesterday, Sunderland had come from behind to win just ONCE in their 109 Premier League away games in which they had fallen behind.

Christopher Lee

On 'song: Sebastian Bassong scored acrobatically to make it 1-0

The Black Cats huffed and puffed in the second half at Carrow Road but could not add to Craig Gardner’s consolation a minute before half time.

And with Chelsea, Manchester United, City and Spurs among their next six opponents it is getting increasingly more desperate for the Sunderland manager.

Everybody knows about the superb jobs he did at Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa.

Everybody knows about the esteem in which he has been - and continues to be - held in the corridors of power throughout his managerial career.

Everybody knows about his famed powers of man-management, his eye for a player, his ability to make good players even better.

But if the likes of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal and Roberto Mancini can find themselves under pressure despite their successes at their particular clubs, then why not O’Neill?

On paper Sunderland are a better team than Norwich. Stephane Sessegnon (£6m), Adam Johnson (£10m) and Stephen Fletcher (£12m) would walk into the Canaries side.

But during the first half of yesterday’s game O’Neill’s men were outmanouvred and outplayed.

The Sunderland boss spoke afterwards about needing a win to kick-start the club into life. But they had one at Fulham four games ago. Since then, nothing.

Defeat at home to West Brom in the next game was followed by a goalless draw at the Stadium of Light against QPR and now this.

O’Neill is a realist and not one to outstay his welcome if he does not feel he has the backing of the club or the fans.

These are now becoming anxious times as it becomes entirely legitimate to question whether the Irishman will stick it out or stand aside.

It is all very well to use the old cliches about the Sunderland team being too good to be where they are. Lots of clubs have gone down with the sound of their own publicity ringing in their ears.

Leeds in 2004 and West Ham in 2003 for starters. Newcastle in 2009 being another example.

If Sunderland continue to defend the way they did yesterday, they could yet find their names on that list.

Because it was far too easy for Sebastien Bassong to beat keeper Simon Mignolet from Robert Snodgrass’s eighth-minute free kick.

Easier still for Anthony Pilkington to outpace Carlos Cuellar and curl the ball beyond Mignolet for Norwich’s second.

Christopher Lee

Pilk that one out! Anthony Pilkington got Norwich's second

Gardner’s snap shot from the edge of the box, after good work from Johnson, came at the best possible time for the Black Cats, just before the break.

But Sunderland could not find a way through in the second period. Mignolet saved superbly from Pilkington on 57 minutes.

Matt Kilgallon blazed over the bar on the hour when it would have been easier to score after Gardner’s free-kick had been pushed onto the post by Mark Bunn.

Javier Garrido cleared off the line three minutes later and Bassong produced a superb saving interception late on to prevent Danny Rose’s cross allowing Connor Wickham to score.

Hughton deserves all the credit he is getting for this superb run of form. His Norwich side had been dismissed after no wins in their first seven games and 17 goals conceded.

But he retains the respect he enjoys in the game because he never panics. And he now has his men playing the way he wants them to.

O’Neill will simply settle for the three points in whatever way they come.